November, 2023

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Uncounted Emissions: The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuel Exports

Yale E360

Oil, gas, and coal exports are not counted when countries tally their greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement. This allows wealthy nations to report progress on emissions reduction goals, while shipping their fossil fuels — and the pollution they produce — overseas.

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Science denial is still an issue ahead of COP28

Real Climate

It is 33 years now since the IPCC in its first report in 1990 concluded that it is “certain” that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities “will enhance the greenhouse effect, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth’s surface.” That has indeed happened as predicted, it has been confirmed by a zillion studies and has been scientific consensus for decades.

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Electric Vehicle Sales Continue to Grow, Despite What Some Automakers Are Saying

Union of Concerned Scientists

The future of cars is electric. That’s not just what I think, it’s not just what is required to slow climate change, it’s what many of the world’s automakers have publicly stated. However, over the last month several automakers have said the transition from gasoline to electric vehicles (EVs) will need to slow down, in part citing demand. It’s important to understand two facts driving this flurry of pessimistic press.

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Bits of an ancient planet called Theia may be buried in Earth’s mantle

New Scientist

Two strange, high-density blobs buried more than a kilometre underground may have come from the ancient world Theia, which is thought to have slammed into Earth to create the moon

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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Diversity in Science Includes Cultural Dress

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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New Study Warns of an Imminent Spike of Planetary Warming and Deepens Divides Among Climate Scientists

Inside Climate News

James Hansen, the scientist who first sounded the climate alarm in Congress, sees a decrease in aerosol pollution driving a surge of warming and criticizes the U.N. climate science panel, drawing a backlash from other researchers. By Bob Berwyn During the past year, the needles on the climate dashboard for global ice melt, heatwaves, ocean temperatures , coral die-offs, floods and droughts all tilted far into the red warning zone.

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A distraction due to errors, misunderstanding and misguided Norwegian statistics

Real Climate

A friend asked me if a discussion paper published on Statistics Norway’s website, ‘ To what extent are temperature levels changing due to greenhouse gas emissions? ’, was purposely timed for the next climate summit ( COP28 ). I don’t know the answer to his question. But this discussion paper is problematic for sure. It was, authored by Dagsvik and Moen, and already in its introduction it claims that it is difficult to explain and predict weather and temperature (giving the false impression that

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Forests with multiple tree species are 70% more effective as carbon sinks than monoculture forests

Frontiers

by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Forests are excellent at absorbing and storing carbon and can play a role in meeting global net zero targets. As more countries commit to forest creation, but mainly plant single species forests, an international team of researchers has examined how carbon stocks in mixed forests and monocultures compare.

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DNA repair has been captured in a step-by-step molecular movie

New Scientist

Researchers have worked out how a protein called photolyase repairs DNA using light, and their discoveries could guide the development of light-based manufacturing technologies

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The Woman Who Demonstrated the Greenhouse Effect

Scientific American

Eunice Newton Foote showed that carbon dioxide traps the heat of the sun in 1856, beating the so-called father of the greenhouse effect by at least three years. Why was she forgotten?

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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New Research Makes it Harder to Kick The Climate Can Down the Road from COP28

Inside Climate News

Without immediate emissions cuts, global temperatures will breach the Paris Agreement’s goals sooner than expected, scientists say. ‘Despite decades of warnings, we are still heading in the wrong direction’ By Bob Berwyn Research released this week raises new questions about how much more Earth may warm, or cool, if and when human carbon dioxide emissions zero out.

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Ecosystems as Infrastructure: A New Way of Looking at Climate Resilience

Yale E360

Landscape architect Kate Orff works on rebuilding natural systems to help communities and cities reduce their climate risks. Places with interwoven ecological systems, she says, are more resilient and better able both to respond to emergencies and adapt for the future.

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New York State Court Holds Upholds Local Law 97

Law Columbia

Last week, the New York State Supreme Court for New York County dismissed Glen Oaks Village Owners v. City of New York , a 2022 lawsuit brought by a group of cooperative apartment and other building owners seeking to invalidate Local Law 97 of 2019 , New York City’s building performance standard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the City’s largest buildings.

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Could willow bark provide our next life-saving antiviral medicine?

Frontiers

by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Scientists have found that specially processed samples of willow bark extract have an antiviral effect which isn’t seen in already known medical compounds from willow bark, such as salicylic acid, the precursor to modern aspirin. The extract worked against two common types of virus with very different structures, enteroviruses and coronaviruses, suggesting the potential for a new broad-spectrum antiviral to help us fight

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Dancing monkey hormones shed light on harmful street shows in Pakistan

New Scientist

Stress hormone measurements highlight the poor welfare of monkeys trained to perform for the public in street shows, but social conditions make it challenging to end the practice

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Understanding Consciousness Goes Beyond Exploring Brain Chemistry

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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What the Melting of Antarctic Ice Shelves Means for the Planet

Inside Climate News

A Q&A with Richard Alley, professor of geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, on how melting at the South Pole could impact sea level rise. Interview by Steve Curwood, "Living on Earth" From our collaborating partner “Living on Earth,” public radio’s environmental news magazine , an interview by Host Steve Curwood with Penn State geologist Richard Alley.

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As Climate Talks Near, Calls Mount for a ‘Phaseout’ of Fossil Fuels

Yale E360

With UN climate negotiations set for next month, a growing number of nations and business leaders are calling for a phaseout of fossil fuels. But with major fossil fuel expansion projects moving ahead around the globe, advocates of strong action face a daunting challenge.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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Even One More Oil and Gas Lease Sale in the Gulf of Mexico Is Too Many

NRDC

An expansion of offshore drilling would lock the region into decades of fossil fuel extraction at the expense of the climate, coastal communities, and marine life.

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Fishing chimpanzees found to enjoy termites as a seasonal treat

Frontiers

by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Seth Phillips Termites are a crucial source of nutrients for chimpanzees, who fish for them with tools, but they’re not always accessible. Now, researchers copying chimpanzee tools and techniques have shown that chimpanzees living in western Tanzania can only reliably fish for termites in the early wet season, when other foods are abundant.

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Pesticides in soya farming may be behind leukaemia deaths in Brazil

New Scientist

The replacement of cow pastures with soya plantations in parts of Brazil has corresponded with an increase in leukaemia deaths among children, possibly due to pesticide exposure

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Birds Named after People Will Get New English Names

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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How Midwest Landowners Helped to Derail One of the Biggest CO2 Pipelines Ever Proposed

Inside Climate News

Lured by billions of dollars in federal funding for carbon capture, developers are proposing huge pipelines to carry the CO2 across the Midwest. In Illinois, one retired academic united her neighbors to fight a key project. By Kristoffer Tigue After half a decade of failed attempts, Kathleen Campbell thought 2021 would finally be the year she retired.

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Shifting Political Winds Threaten Progress on Europe’s Green Goals

Yale E360

Shaken by global instability and a populist backlash, European nations are retreating from plans to reduce greenhouse gases, promote sustainable farming practices, and boost biodiversity. Green advocates fear the EU will fail to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

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SolBeePop: A model of solitary bee populations in agricultural landscapes

The Applied Ecologist

Amelie Schmolke discusses recent work, conducted alongside colleagues, which involved the development of a trait-based model for solitary bees. Schmolke et al were able to model management scenarios and possible outcomes for bee species with incomplete trait data. An introduction to bees When thinking about bees, people often think of the honey bee.

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Napanee Council Must Say No to Another Gas Plant!

Enviromental Defense

Just like in many other communities across Ontario, like Thorold and Toronto, the people of Napanee are speaking up – and they’re saying no more new gas! Atura Power, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), wants to build a new gas plant in Napanee, a community that already has two existing gas plants. But, the plant’s construction is dependent on a vote of support from Napanee Town Council and its community is urging representatives to say no.

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Drone delivers defibrillators for cardiac arrest faster than ambulance

New Scientist

People who have gone into cardiac arrest can get treatment faster if a drone delivers a defibrillator, but there needs to be someone nearby trained in CPR, shows a trial in Sweden

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Starfish Are Heads--Just Heads

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Is China Emitting a Climate Super Pollutant in Violation of an International Environmental Agreement?

Inside Climate News

Concentrations of HFC-23, one of the world’s most potent greenhouse gases, remained elevated in East Asia after China, a known past polluter, agreed to curb emissions. By Phil McKenna and Peter Aldhous Preliminary atmospheric monitoring data from a remote South Korean island off China’s east coast shows elevated concentrations of hydrofluorocarbon-23 (HFC-23), a greenhouse gas 14,700 times more potent than carbon dioxide on a pound-for-pound basis, according to the World Meteorological Associati

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As Temperatures Rise, Dengue Fever Spreads and Cases Rise

Yale E360

With temperatures and rainfall increasing, the mosquitoes that carry dengue viruses are extending their range. More than 4.5 million cases have been reported this year, and global climate models project an additional two billion people could be at risk of infection by 2080.

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The hidden values of the Wadden Sea

The Applied Ecologist

In this blog post, Paula de la Barra and Allert Bijleveld discuss their latest research, conducted alongside Geert Aarts. This work focusses on gas extraction under intertidal mudflats, and the impact that this has on macrozoobenthic communities and sediment.

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Sabin Center for Climate Change Law Submits Amicus Brief on Climate and Human Rights to Inter-American Court

Law Columbia

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law Submits Amicus Brief on Climate and Human Rights to Inter-American Court On Friday, November 3, 2023, the Sabin Center submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the matter of the Request for Advisory Opinion on climate law, human rights, and climate science. This submission responds to the Request for Advisory Opinion presented by the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Chile, focusing on the intersection of the clima